Perrot State Park in eastern Wisconsin's Trempealeau County perches along 500-foot-tall bluffs at a majestic spot where the Trempealeau River meets the mighty Mississippi. The 1,243-acre park includes hiking trails that provide scenic vistas of the two rivers, surrounding wetlands and bluff-top prairies. Though Perrot State Park's trails are open only to hikers, the park has direct access for bicyclists to the 24-mile Great River State Trail.

Great River State Trail

Bikers may access the Great River State Trail (dnr.wi.gov) from the campground in Perrot State Park's northwestern section. The trail, a finely crushed limestone path built on an abandoned railway line, takes riders through hardwood forests and along scenic prairies, savannahs and wetlands in the upper Mississippi River Valley. To ride the trail, bikers age 16 and older must have a state trail pass, which you can purchase at Perrot State Park (dnr.wi.gov).

Connecting Bike Trails

The Great River State Trail is part of an even larger network of bike trails. It connects with the La Crosse River State Trail by a short road route in La Crosse. The Great River trail also is part of the 3,000-mile Mississippi River Trail, which stretches from Minnesota to Louisiana along multiuse paths and bike-friendly roadways. The Mississippi River Trail includes 250 miles in Wisconsin, primarily along Great River Road.

Prairie's Edge Tour Loop

Just northeast of Perrot State Park, the 6,226-acre Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge (fws.gov) is home to numerous waterfowl and other bird species, along with protected prairies, oak savannahs and marshes. Bikers on the Great River State Trail, a portion of which winds through Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, might want to take a detour on the refuge's 4.5-mile Prairie’s Edge Tour Loop. This multiuse trail for bikers, pedestrians and cars has several scenic overlooks and wildlife observation areas.

Park Amenities and Accommodations

Though Perrot State Park has no bike trails inside the park, it is home to several hiking trails, a canoe trail, nature center and picnic areas. The hiking trails range from a .5-mile interpretive nature trail to the 2.5-mile Riverview Trail, which winds along the shores of the Mississippi and Trempealeau rivers. The 3.4-mile Voyageurs Canoe Trail, marked by directional signs, is a scenic paddle through Trempealeau Bay. Canoes and kayaks can be rented at park headquarters. If you're staying overnight, the park's campground offers more than 100 family campsites, about three dozen with electric hookups. The campground has drinking water, restroom and shower facilities, a picnic shelter and dump station. The nearby town of Trempealeau gives you several other accommodation options, including hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns.

About the Author

Robert Kay has written travel articles since 2002 and has more than 20 years of experience at three daily newspapers and a national magazine. His work has appeared in "Golfweek," "The New York Times" and various AAA publications. Now based in Florida, he holds a journalism degree from the University of South Carolina.